Zaytuna Institute is a non-profit, educational institute and school founded and run by people committed to reviving time-tested methods of educating and transforming human beings. It is our belief that Islam offers a cohesive understanding of the world and a praxis for it that is able to cut through the illusion of contemporary nihilism and materialism.
Read more about Zaytuna at http://www.zaytuna.org
‘Occupation 101′ presents a comprehensive analysis of the facts and hidden truths surrounding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict; and dispels many of its long-perceived myths and misconceptions. The film also details life under Israeli military rule, the United States’ role, and sheds light on the major obstacles which stand in the way of a lasting and viable peace.
Unlike any other film ever produced on the conflict -– ‘Occupation 101’ explains the situation in a comprehensive manner and gives audiences a complete context in which to better understand the Israeli-Palestinian encounter. The film depicts the root causes of the conflict through Israeli, Jewish, Christian, Muslim, American, and Palestinian voices that are rarely ever heard through mainstream media outlets.
The film covers a wide range of topics — which include — the first wave of Jewish immigration from Europe of the 1880’s, the 1920 tensions, the 1948 war, the 1967 war, the first Intifada of 1987, the Oslo Peace Process, Settlement expansion, the role of the United States Government, the second Intifada of 2000, and also covers the recent Gaza Disengagement of August 2005.
Maurice Chittenden (The Sunday Times - Britain)
A HOLY war between writers is switching from the High Court to the bookshelves.
One of the authors who last week failed to win a plagiarism case against Dan Brown’s The Da Vinci Code has written a new book just in time for Easter to question the very tenets of the Christian faith.
Michael Baigent’s The Jesus Papers tries to strip Jesus of his divinity by claiming that he wrote letters to a Jewish court denying that he was the son of God.
The book was published in the United States last week on the same day as the first American paperback version of Brown’s novel. read more »
Poem by a Muslim Woman:
What do you see
when you look at me
Do you see someone limited,
or someone free read more »
3 Years ago the same newspaper Jyllands Posten that published 12 caricatures of Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) refused to publish lampooning Christ on the grounds that they could be offensive to readers. This proves once again that the purpose of publication of the cartoons was not about “Freedom of Speech” but to attack and mock our beloved Prophet Muhammad, and thus attacking the whole Muslim ummah. It’s a responsibility of every Muslim to protect Prophet Muhammad, and to voice out against these kind of attacks on our religion. Back to Islam encourages all Muslims to protest against the publication of caricatures in a peaceful way, please make your voices heard but please do not resort to violence. Allah (Most Exalted) loves those who protect His messenger and religion and He does not love aggressors.We want the Danish government to take action against Jyllands Posten and against the artists who drew the cartoons.
Freedom of Expression versus protection of minorities
In any society, Freedom of Expression is a fundament on which a democratic system is built. It gives the little man, a possibility to raise a voice against tyranny and state oppression, demand the rights and not to be afraid of the power elite. But as it is with every concept, Freedom of Expression can also be used to insult, oppress and create conflicts between various groups. Furthermore, it is sometimes misused to push the unfair opinions of the majority over minorities. And unfortunately, this is exactly, what is happening in Denmark for the last few decades. Seen through today’s practices,the noble concept of Freedom of Expression, , is tantamount to, freedom for the journalists, editors and other powerful racist and Islamophobic groups to ridicule, ethnic minorities, their cultures and their faiths. read more »
If you were being interrogated by the Taleban as a suspected US spy, it might be hard to imagine a happy ending.
But for journalist Yvonne Ridley, the ordeal in Afghanistan led her to convert to a religion she says is “the biggest and best family in the world”.
The formerly hard-drinking Sunday school teacher became a Muslim after reading the Koran on her release. read more »
The 100: A Ranking of the Most Influential Persons in History
Author: Michael H. Hart 1 MUHAMMAD (570-632)
My choice of Muhammad to lead the list of the world’s most influential persons may surprise some readers and may be questioned by others, but he was the only man in history who was supremely successful on both the religious and secular levels.
Many western converts report that they had become rationally convinced of the truth of Islam before they embraced it. Maryam Jameelah, in her letters to Maududi, describes the intellectual appeal that Islam held for her. Marmaduke Pikthall’s conversion involved an intellectual maturation and discovery similar to Asad’s. Aminah Assilmi and Nancy Ali, wellknown speakers at American Islamic conferences, describe their choices to become Muslims in essentially rational terms. Gary Miller, best known for his participation in Muslim-Christian dialogues, tells how he became rationally convinced of Islam after reading a copy of the Quran that he came upon one day in a bookstore in Canada. Nuh Ha Mim Keller, writer for The American Muslim magazine, mentions how his prolonged study of modern philosophers helped him to become a Muslim. read more »
This sermon was delivered on the Ninth day of Dhul-Hijjah, 10 A.H. ( 623AD) in the Uranah valley of Mount Arafat in Mecca. It was the occasion of annual rites of Haj. It is also known as the Farewell Pilgrimage. read more »
Let us examine closely the square-structured Ka’bah (The Holy House) at Makkah, in Arabia, wherein in its Eastern corner lies the Black Stone set up chest-high.
Every pilgrim in Makkah tries to kiss and caress it fondly first thing upon arrival there. This action marks the start of the act of Tawaf. The word "Tawaf" is an Arabic infinitive noun, which means to circle, compass or move around something.
“Do you have to wear that thing on your head?”
This was the final question during my job interview for a research position at a Canadian university. Apparently, my PhD in chemical physics from Harvard, research publications and postdoctoral research at MIT weren’t enough to convince my interviewer that I qualified for the job. It came down to “that thing” on my head, the hijab — the Islamic headscarf that forms part of my faith. read more »
Some non-Muslims think or are made to believe that the pilgrimage to Ka’bah is purely a pagan rite or one form of idol-worship, that it was being practiced by the Arab idolaters before Islam and that Islam borrowed it from them. read more »
German poet, novelist, playwright and natural philosopher, one of the greatest figures in Western literature after whom countless institutes and associations have been named all over Europe and North America, namely Goethe Institute. All evidence have been taken from his own works and his letters to friends. read more »
